Halong Bay in Northern Vietnam

Halong Bay, located in northeastern Vietnam, spans an area of 1,553 square kilometers between Halong City in Quang Ninh Province and Cat Hai District in Hai Phong City. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination in Quang Ninh Province. The bay features between 1,960 and 2,000 islands, most of which are limestone formations. The core area covers 334 square kilometers and includes 775 islands. The limestone in Halong Bay has undergone a formation process lasting 500 million years under varying conditions and environments. Over the past 20 million years, the karst evolution of the bay has been shaped by the tropical humid climate. The region's geographical diversity has fostered rich biodiversity, serving as a habitat for 14 endemic plant species and 60 endemic animal species. In 1994, the core area of Halong Bay was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under Criterion (vii).